


A Different Protector

by Lady_Lombax



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, I found this in the depths of my laptop, harry is adopted, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 02:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5988316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Lombax/pseuds/Lady_Lombax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or Why James Potter is the Cause of Death's Biggest Headache, Voldemort Should Never Have Targeted Harry and Minister Fudge Retires Due To Health Reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Different Protector

All Hallow's Eve laid claim to the mortal realm that night. A cloaked figure glided down the path towards a small cottage that once looked inviting but now had fallen into disrepair, signs of an attack glaringly obvious.  The figure ignored the evidence of the battle and walked seamlessly through the door and halted at the corpse strewn across the bottom of the stairs.

  
It was the body of a young man, barely into adulthood. His messy black hair and handsome aristocratic looks marked him as a Potter. The stranger knew that the body could only belong to one person. James Charles Potter, a descendant of Ignotus Peverell. Once laughing hazel eyes were now blank with death and his glasses were skewed across his face.

  
Kneeling down, the figure place an icy skeletal hand on his chest and hummed lightly. A small white light rose up as the hand left the body. The hand turned as if to cup the light but it flitted off to the side and grew. The cloak ruffled as the figure stood and waited for the light to complete its action.

  
The light grew and shifted, eventually taking the form of a man which then faded to create the features of the male laying on the stairs. The soul of James Potter looked at the cloaked stranger with grim determination and nodded his head in greeting. "Death."

  
Two fleshless hands lowered the hood of the cloak and a skeletal face stared at James blankly. Endless eyes were like dual black holes and pierced James'.

**_  
NO._ **

  
The voice was not spoken aloud but resonated through one's mind and sent shivers of an unknown feeling down the backs of any who heard it.

  
James, however, crossed his arms and immediately protested, undeterred by the Voice of Death. "You don't even know what I was going to say!"

  
Death merely gazed back, hating how all descendants of Ignotus were completely undeterred by anything remotely relating to Death. Granted it was a nice change from the usual pleads and screaming or melancholy acceptance but, really, a little respect or compliance would've been pleasant. Even a small gasp of surprise. Anything! Still reputation must be upheld and so nothing was said to the newly deceased Potter.

  
"I get the feeling you're raising your eyebrow at me and you don't even have eyebrows!"

**_  
NO._ **

  
"Please!"

**_  
...SIGH..._** Disrespectful or not, Death always did have a soft spot for Ignotus' descendants.

  
"YES!" A barely restrained fist pump.

**_  
I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS._ **

  
"Oh, please. It's not that bad. All I want you to do is..."

  
~ _Fourteen Years Later~_

_~Battle At The Ministry~_

  
The two duellists carried on their battle, one a deranged woman, the other a man half-broken, ignorant of the fleeing Death Eaters. The man laughed even as he dodged a bolt of light a vivacious shade of red.

  
"Come on, you can do better than that!"

  
The woman, better known as the infamous Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, snarled and let loose a second bolt of vibrant light, a darker version of the _stupefy_ that would render the victim frozen but heightened all senses. It often caused the victim to go mad; able to perceive the world around them but unable to interact with it.  

  
Harry stood in horror as the bolt connected with Sirius' chest. The laughter on Sirius' frozen face was still apparent even as his eyes widen in shock. Shock rippled through his body and Harry's mind went into overdrive. _No! Not Him!_

_  
_ Even as Remus moved, to do what Harry didn't know, even as Sirius fell further towards the Veil, even as Bellatrix savagely grinned victoriously, Harry reached for a power deep within him and so intrinsically tied to him that it took him breath away for a mere split second. Grasping the power firmly, Harry thrust his hand towards Sirius-

  
"PADFOOT!"

  
-And out of the shadows burst a sickening beast of bone, blue hellfire and bleeding muscle, locking its jaws on Sirius' robes and halting his fall into the Veil. The Beast was canine in appearance but larger than any mortal dog. Eight foot in length and five foot at the shoulder, the creature's head was pure bone with two pointed skinless ears perched upon its cranium and icy blue fire dancing where the eyes should have been. A body of woven bone and muscle was an artist's dream but also a living nightmare for all those that witnessed it in the flesh. A strong whip-like tail curled and swayed behind it lazily with a flame of blue hellfire burning brightly on the end. This was one of the darkest and most feared creatures of all the Wizarding World. A rare creature with the ability to tear souls from their bodies and cause eternal suffering for any who crossed their paths. It was a Hell Hound.

  
The entire room froze in fear. Every Order member and every Death Eater were locked into their places. Every adult and every child's breath stuttered from the sheer power radiating from the creature. None dared to approach neither it nor Sirius who was still trapped in the demon's jaws. His eyes were still aware and petrified of the fate which was about to befall him, only for shock to take its place when a familiar relieved, young voice called out;

  
"Nice catch, Padfoot."

  
As one, the entire room turned to Harry who had a relieved look on his face as he jogged towards to duo. Grasping Sirius' robes, he easy tugged Sirius away from the Veil and onto the floor. Once he was safely on the ground, the Hell Hound released Sirius and sat patiently next to the Godfather and -Son, occasionally turning to stare at Bellatrix with a dark look.

  
Harry placed a hand on Sirius' chest and muttered a few words in a language that had been long forgotten by muggle and wizard alike but cause a ripple of power through all those in the room. Once the ripple passed, Sirius found he was able to move once more and immediately sat up to stare at Harry in wonder.

  
He gave Sirius a moment before uncharacteristically launching himself at the dazed man in a hug and mumbled into his shoulder; "Please don't do that again."

  
Pulling back, Harry almost snorted at the look of bewilderment on Sirius' face. Harry looked over at the Hell Hound and wrapped an arm around the creature's neck. "That really was one hell of a catch, Pads." The Hound merely huffed smugly and licked Harry's cheek with a long slimy black tongue.

  
"Umm..... Harry?"  Sirius' lost look almost sent Harry into a fit of laughter.

  
"Yeah?"

  
"That's a Hell Hound."

  
"Yeah."

  
"You're hugging a Hell Hound."

  
"Yep."

  
"You named it Padfoot?"

  
"He didn't like the name Gerald and Fluffy was taken."

  
Sirius look taken back by that comment but looking back, it was no surprise since Harry had never used obvious sass or sarcasm in the Wizarding World. Harry rubbed Padfoot's head before standing up and calling loudly; "Moony! Come here boy!"

  
A second creature leapt out of the shadows of the Veil and circled around to Harry on the dais. This one was, at least, two feet longer and a foot taller than the first and burned a bright silver hellfire. It was even more terrifying and cruel looking than first especially since what looked to be blood dripped from its claws.

  
Fearlessly, Harry rubbed its head and knelt back down. "Sirius," Harry looked up at Remus, "Remus, this is Moony." Harry turned back to the two Hell Hounds whom by now had sat flanking Harry protectively, "Moony, Padfoot, Sirius and Remus. Be nice." Somehow Padfoot looked affronted as if saying _Since when am I anything else?_

  
Moony merely huffed at his kin and appeared to roll his eyes before licking Harry under the chin affectionately with a blood-red tongue. He chuckled at the action before turning to Bellatrix, his eyes burning the bright green of the Killing curse. Harry stood, the Hounds following his actions, and growled out; "Tell me why I shouldn't let them have you." Shocking everyone in the room.

  
Bellatrix cowered before the slight teenager. The Hell Hounds, still flanking him protectively and crouched ready to pounce at their master's command, growled. It was a devastating sound, like the worst storm and the viciously cruel sound of wolves fighting to the death mixed in just the right way as to rattle all those that heard it right down to their very beings. The first clear thought she had had all her crazed life tore through her scattered mind. _I'm going to die._ She whimpered, frozen and terrified for her fate.

  
Seeing that Bellatrix was too petrified to speak, Harry huffed angrily at the woman. "You're lucky Sirius is ok." Turning away from the shaking woman and ignoring the shocked looks on his loved ones' faces, he snarled out to the Death Eaters, "Let them go." They hesitated for a mere moment. "NOW!" Twin sharp barks like the screams of the damned enforced his order.

  
That was when everything went to even more chaos.

  
Striding in like he was a king graciously bestowing his grovelling subjects with his glorious presence, Voldemort ignorantly arrived in the room from one side while Dumbledore hurried in through the other, looking remarkably like an eccentric scientist who had done something unexpected and was running away from the consequences. Neither noticed Harry nor his companions on the dais, at first, only taking stock of the remaining shaking Death Eaters, all with identical looks that spelt their doom and the mix of fascinated and horrified emotions passing over the faces of the Order members and students.

  
"Fantastic, now that we're all here."

  
Both wizards spun to face Harry.

  
"POT..." Voldemort began only for his eyes to widen and he took a step back as he realised exactly what was standing next to Harry, "...ter." The Hellhounds were snarling now, the sounds so fear-inspiring and destructive they were indescribable and froze all within the room. Only Harry remained unaffected, smirking lightly in a way reminiscent of James Potter before he pulled the mother of all pranks upon his unsuspecting victims.

  
Harry placed a hand on each hound's side, calming them and lowering the snarling to light growls. "Fetch." The two creatures leapt off the dais and, in a single jump, pounced on Voldemort who barely let out a sound before one set of jaws locked around his throat and another bigger set locked around his chest. Deadly paws pinned his arms and legs down, the needle sharp claws bit into the thin skin below and through the muscle. The whole room let out a gasp as one and someone gave a startled scream. Harry began to meander down the dais as if he was taking a late afternoon stroll with no cares in the world and as if he hadn't just set two of the most dangerous creatures in the Wizarding World on the most feared Wizard in Britain.

  
"You know Tom," Harry stated as he squatted next to Voldemort's head, "One little order and they'll rip you shreds. They'd make it so slow and painful for you, death would be a mercy afterwards." It stunned everyone to hear these words come out of Harry's mouth. Where had their Harry gone? The compassionate, caring young teenager who they never thought would lower himself to torture. "But unfortunately for you, I can't let them do that. What they would do to you would seem like Merlin-send after what Azzy is going to do." Harry stood up and looked down at Tom sadly. "For what it's worth, I can't forgive you nor forget what you've done. But I pity you." Harry looked up at the hounds and gestured with his head to let the cowering confused man go. The duo whined lightly before releasing him, Moony biting down in warning.

  
Harry turned to face the Order and his friends. Looking directly at Dumbledore, he began, "All of you are aware I spend about two weeks with Aunt Petunia before I go to Azzy's place." Dazed nodding. "And you all know that last summer I wasn't allowed out due to Voldemort's rise." Numerous stunned nods which slowly turned to terrified looks as a bone white skeletal hand placed itself gently on Harry's shoulder. "Guess I forgot to mention. Azzy is short for Azrael which is Death's Pseudonym in Europe." Harry stated as he rubbed his head sheepishly and rest of the owner of the skeletal hand came into view.

  
A cloak as black as a starless night ruffled from an imaginary breeze, its hood down and revealing the owner's fleshless skull with soul piercing eyes. The figure towered over Harry and every other person in the room as it stood, at least, eight feet tall and the surrounding aura only added to the enormity of the entity's presence.

**_  
HARRY._ **

  
He turned into the arms and wrapped his own around the deity's waist like a small child seeking comfort from an older family member. "Hey, Azzy."

**_  
YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE ME HOW THE MORTALS SAY A 'HEART ATTACK' ONE OF THESE DAYS._ **

  
Harry snickered lightly into the robe before pulling back slightly and smiling guiltily up at Death. "Sorry."

**_  
TELL THAT TO YOUR MOTHER. SHE IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT YOU AND IS THREATENING TO COME AND OBTAIN YOU HERSELF._**  Death pulled back and held Harry at arm's length. **_I AM INCLINED TO ALLOW HER PASSAGE._**

  
Harry paled. "And how's Dad taking it?"

**_  
HE IS TORN BETWEEN PATTING YOUR BACK IN CONGRATULATIONS AND 'FREAKING OUT' I BELIEVE IS THE TERM. WHEN I LEFT, HE WAS YELLING ABOUT HOW GROUNDED YOU WERE BUT ALSO HOW PROUD HE IS. YOUR MOTHER WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THAT REMARK._ **

  
Harry nodded, chastised by the unspoken reprimand in Death's voice but grinned when he heard his father's apparent approval.  He opened his mouth to speak more when Death interrupted him.

**_  
GO TO YOUR GODFATHERS, LITTLE ONE. I HAVE BUSINESS TO SORT._ **

  
Harry nodded obediently and strode over to where Sirius was still sitting, gobsmacked by the entire turn of events. Padfoot followed and once Harry's rear made contact with the stone next to his godfather's, he proceeded to plop his head onto Harry's lap, demanding cuddles and head scratches. 

  
Harry snorted and started scratching him behind the ears. Sirius just looked at Harry stunned before having his own lap commandeered by Moony who was gentler as he curled around the pair and rested his head on Sirius. Hesitantly, Sirius stroked across Moony's head and was once again stunned to find it relatively smooth. 

  
Death, assured the young one was safely with his Godfather's and canine guardians, turned to the whimpering mortal below him. No mortal had ever been so despised by the celestial bodies as much as Thomas Marvolo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort. Honestly, Horcruxes of all things! Not to mention the whole homicide attempts on Harry.  Abusing a young child purely because he stopped your world-conquering is unacceptable. Fate was going to be furious for the meddling within the Mortal realm but Death trumped Fate. She tried to stop any interfering initially but James had asked for help in protecting Harry and Harry himself had summoned Death when he cried out for Padfoot. And not even whiney Lady Fate could go against the Ancient Magic. She was a bitch anyway and needed taking down a few pegs.

**_  
THOMAS MARVOLO RIDDLE. YOU HAVE PERVERTED THE COURSE OF YOUR DEATH AND ENDED THE LIVES OF THOSE WHOM SHOULD HAVE LIVED. YOU HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES THAT UNSETTLE THE VERY NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE AND OF MAGIC. FOR THIS, THERE IS ONLY ONE PUNISHMENT. YOUR VERY LIFE SHALL BE FORFITTED AND YOUR SOUL SHALL REPAIR THE DAMAGE YOU HAVE WROUGHT._ **

  
There was something strangely satisfying about watching the so-called Darkest Lord of this Centaury beg for his life. Was it bad that the pleasurable feeling had come from watching another's pain?

**_  
SO I HAVE PROCLAIMED, SO IT SHALL BE DONE._ **

  
Probably, but who cared?

  
Death reached down and pushed a bony hand into the screaming mortal's chest before yanking the small flickering soul out. It was tiny, smaller than any other soul. Squeezing the soul between two fingers, Death hummed. It rattled the room and every mortal winced as their own souls responded to the hum. Harry was the only one who did not. He closed his eyes and smiled gently as the Power of Death rolled over him. If Death had the eyes to do so, rolling them would have been appropriate. Really, the Power of Death made even the other Deities tremble and there Harry sat like it was a nice warm bubble bath. Death loved them most out of the mortals but Ignotus' bunch was just _odd_ when it came to the entity.

  
Four more flickering lights, even smaller than the one Death had pinched between skeletal fingers, flashed into existence. They floated downwards before merging with the larger soul. Those had been the soul fragments scattered across the United Kingdom. Another low hum caused two grey lights to appear. These were the fragments that had resided inside Harry and the diary he had found three years ago. The fragments also merged the soul and it stopped flickering. The soul of Thomas Marvolo Riddle was once more whole. It was darker from the taint of causing Horcruxes but otherwise seemed normal to mortal eyes. Death tucked the soul into the ethereal black cloak and turned to face Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

  
Death glided forward in a single beat and stared Albus Dumbledore down. While his heart had been in the right place, the mechanisms and scheming of the mortal irritated the Deity. It was no wonder Fate liked him so much. Only a small warning would be given to the mortal, though. It was nearing his Time anyway. Albus Dumbledore would not see the New Millennium.

**_  
MY WARD IS NOT A CHESS PAWN. THE SOUL FRAGMENT IS NO LONGER WITHIN HIM._** Death poked the Great Albus Dumbledore on the forehead. **_SO STOP IT._**

  
Albus Dumbledore blinked and meekly nodded his head as the final bit of Death's plan ran into the chamber followed by a contingent of law enforcement. They halted as they took in the sights.

  
A number of Death Eaters cowering against the wall.

  
The Order of the Phoenix standing around with their jaws dropped.

  
A bunch of school children shaking lightly in shock.

  
A skinny dead body lying skewed on the ground.

  
Harry Potter happily sitting next to the Azkaban Escapee, Sirius Black while they both petted two large Hell Hounds.

  
And Albus Dumbledore was being loomed over by a giant skeletal figure in a deep black cloak.

  
Cornelius Fudge stuttered and trembled as the figure stopped looming over a pale Dumbledore and turned it's attention towards him.

**_  
I AM NOT AN 'IT' AND I DO NOT APPRECIATE BEING REFERRED TO AS SUCH._ **

  
Cornelius gulped as the Being who could only be Death appeared before him in the blink of an eye. Death gestured to the body lying on the ground and Cornelius heard several gasps as they all recognised the Dark Lord Voldemort.

**_  
YES, THAT IS THE BODY OF THE SO-CALLED LORD VOLDEMORT. YOU MADE A GRAVE ERROR NOT BELIEVING MY WARD OF HIS RETURN._ **

  
Cornelius gulped again. But that meant...

**_  
MY WARD IS HARRY JAMES POTTER._ **

  
Death turned back to the now violently shaking Minister of Magical Britain.

**_  
I SUGGEST YOU RETIRE, CORNELIUS FUDGE. IT IS BAD FOR YOU HEALTH._ **

  
Cornelius looked up as Death glided away towards Harry. "Huh?"

**_  
I SAID._** Death stared down at the quivering mortal. ** _IT IS BAD._** **_FOR YOUR HEALTH._**

  
Once again, Death pondered the morality of taking pleasure in watching mortals suffer as the violently trembling man passed out.

  
Once the thump of Minister Fudge's body hitting the ground registered with the room, a young voice piped up.

  
"So am I allowed to go out in public now? 'Cause I'm running out of polish for my broom, Azzy"

  
Death sighed.

  
_Teenagers._


End file.
